UPDATE: Mike Nadel: Be careful what you ask for, Lovie

Monday

Sep 24, 2007 at 12:01 AMSep 24, 2007 at 3:09 AM

Nadel from Bears game.

Mike Nadel

EDITORS NOTE: UPDATES throughout with quotes and other new material; no other version planned
Quarterbacking: abysmal. Leadership: lacking. Coaching: inferior. Playmaking: almost nonexistent. NFC North status: last place.
In a world of hurt ... that's where Lovie Smith's Bears are.
After claiming to have learned little from the season's first two games, the coach promised that Sunday night's prime-time showdown with America's Team would tell all: "You want to play a game like this early, and I can't wait. You want to see exactly where you are."
Smith could have waited.
So where are the Bears after getting pummeled 34-10 by the Dallas Cowboys? Already two games behind Brett Favre's Green Bay Packers, who earlier Sunday put up four touchdowns against the same San Diego team that completely shut down the Bears in Week 1.
"We're better than we showed," Smith said. "We're better than we played."
Whatever. Not one thing has happened so far this season to suggest Lovie's lads should have more than one victory in three games.
Where are the Bears? Significantly closer to answering The Zillion-Dollar Question - "Is Rex Grossman the long-term answer at quarterback?" - with a resounding, "NO!"
Let me start by saying this loss was not the fault of Grossman, who got just about no help from his teammates. Neither Brian Griese nor Kyle Orton would have won this game. But Rex again did more bad than good, throwing three interceptions and leading only two scoring drives.
"I have to take care of the football," Grossman said. "I have to ... do what I do best."
Unfortunately for Rex and the Bears, throwing interceptions seems to be what he does best. He has been picked off six times so far this season and 32 times in 27 career games.
Sunday's second pickoff, with 11:49 to go, came after the Bears had fallen behind 20-10 and desperately needed their QB to be great. Instead, Grossman immediately heaved a pass into triple coverage; Anthony Henry intercepted and returned it for the touchdown that turned the game into a rout.
With Tony Romo carving up the Bears' defense for 329 yards, the contrast between Rex and a legitimate NFL quarterback was obvious. Romo had great pocket presence, sensed danger beautifully, scrambled when necessary and delivered one perfect pass after another. And to think, the Bears - and every other team - could have had the undrafted kid from Eastern Illinois.
Grossman talked about getting "back to basics." A fifth-year, 27-year-old quarterback who theoretically knows Ron Turner's offense inside and out needs to get back to basics? Not good.
As usual, Smith offered only his lame standby: "Rex is our quarterback."
Pull the plug, Lovie! Do it now, while the season still can be saved.
Grossman can become a free agent at season's end and needs a change of scenery. He is not the team's future.
The Bears need new direction - although other answers to "Where are the Bears?" might make the quarterback moot.
Where are the Bears? Not in a happy, healthy place.
Tommie Harris, Lance Briggs and Nate Vasher, three Pro Bowl defensive players, limped off the field and didn't return. That, heaped on top of the Week 1 injuries to fellow starters Mike Brown and Dusty Dvoracek, weakens the best part of the Bears - the part that gives them a chance to defend their conference title.
Where are the Bears? Hopefully, in Humble City.
Angered upon hearing that the Cowboys planned to kick and punt away from him, Devin Hester called them out: "This is the NFL. Kick it to me and play football. Don't be scared." Well, after refusing to kick to Hester early, the Cowboys did later. In response, he muffed a punt, dropped a kickoff and fumbled during a return.
Where are the Bears? Apparently, dipped in a vat of Vaseline.
Their "skill" players mostly were skilled at not holding onto the ball. I've already told you about Hester. Top receiver Bernard Berrian dropped Grossman's very first pass of the game and later botched a probable touchdown pass. And for the second time this season, tailback Cedric Benson lost a fumble at a critical juncture of a game.
Where are the Bears?
Lovie received numerous painful answers. Plenty of new questions, too.
Mike Nadel (mikenadel@sbcglobal.net) is the Chicago sports columnist for GateHouse News Service. Read his blog, The Baldest Truth, at www.thebaldesttruth.com.